Beryllium

BY: Niki Kinser

 

Be - Beryllium

Beryllium is an alkaline earth metal, many compounds of which are toxic. Discovery of the element in the mineral beryl, was reported by Nicolas Louis Vauquelin in 1789. Beryllium metal was isolated by Wöhler and Bussy in 1828. Little known fact: the speed of sound in beryllium (12,500 m/s) is greater than in any other element.
 

A beryllium lined chamber at UCSD

Atomic number - 4     Density g/mL 1 .85
Atomic weight u 9 .01218   Melting point K 1560  
Bonding radius A 0 .9   Boiling point K 2745  
Atomic radius A 1 .4   Heat of vaporization kJ/mol 292 .4
Ionization Potential V 9 .322   Heat of fusion kJ/mol 12 .2
Electronegativity - 1 .57   Specific heat J/gK 1 .82
The oxide is amphoteric.
 		 Crystal are hexagonal.

Electron config. : 1s2 2s2

 

 

Beryllium Is a Silver-Gray Metallic Element That Occurs Naturally in About 30 Minerals

Beryllium was discovered in 1798, but it was not widely used in industry until the 1940s and 1950s.  In industrial applications beryllium can be:

  • used as pure metal
  • mixed with other metals to form alloys
  • processed to salts that dissolve in water
  • processed to form oxides and ceramic materials

Beryllium used in industry begins as a silicate (BeSiO3) in beryl and bertrandite ores.  In a very pure crystalline form, beryl is known to us as gems such as blue-green aquamarine and green emerald.

                                                             

        Round Aquamarine                               Large square cut-cornered emerald

 

 

Crystal Structure

 

Beryllium metal, particularly in alloys, has many structural and thermal applications; it is used in nuclear reactors. Beryllium has valence 2 in all its compounds, which are generally colorless and taste distinctly sweet. All soluble beryllium compounds are toxic. Beryllium oxide is used in specialized ceramics for nuclear devices, and beryllium chloride is a catalyst for organic reactions.

Beryllium is Toxic!

Chronic beryllium disease, or CBD, is an inflammation in the lungs that can occur when a person is exposed to respirable beryllium fumes, dusts or powder, and subsequently demonstrates an allergic reaction to beryllium. CBD is an occupational disease that may occur in the manufacture of metallic beryllium, beryllium oxide ceramic, or alloys containing beryllium. It was first identified more than 50 years ago. http://www.befacts.com/cbd/

 

 

Beryllium Word Search


 

M Z Q Q D R U P T A I I P A D 
E E P U Q W F W Q N Z N R L L 
N Y T D O S Y U N L E I S L A 
Q D J A O O A I J C L M G O R 
E E Y T L M D I S E A S E Y E 
W X U M A X B O O S W V D L M 
F S I R M U I L L Y R E B P E 
Z K I V S E M R E H C Z Y J R 
C N Y L T N P O M I B B E D C 
E L T O S M E G N F O F F W Q 
F Y X U U G Q O S J Q I F F D 
W I S R C I R T T T X K P A C 
C G E F V H F G K D V Q O C Z 
M J R I C F B H Q G O F T J X 
N L C T A V K N U R T G O L C


 

ALLOY
AQUAMARINE
BERYLLIUM
CHRONIC
DISEASE
ELEMENT
EMERALD
GEMS
METAL
TOXIC
 

                                                                            Beryllium Solution


 

 

					M + + + + + + + T A + + + A D 
					+ E + + + + + + Q N + + + L L 
					+ + T + + + + U + + E + + L A 
					+ + + A + + A + + + + M + O R 
					+ + + + L M D I S E A S E Y E 
					+ + + + A + + + + + + + + L M 
					+ + + R M U I L L Y R E B + E 
					+ + I + + + + + + + C + + + + 
					+ N + + T + + + + I + + + + + 
					E + + O S M E G N + + + + + + 
					+ + X + + + + O + + + + + + + 
					+ I + + + + R + + + + + + + + 
					C + + + + H + + + + + + + + + 
					+ + + + C + + + + + + + + + + 
					+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 

					(Over,Down,Direction) 
					ALLOY(14,1,S)
					AQUAMARINE(10,1,SW)
					BERYLLIUM(13,7,W)
					CHRONIC(5,14,NE)
					DISEASE(7,5,E)
					ELEMENT(15,7,NW)
					EMERALD(15,7,N)
					GEMS(8,10,W)
					METAL(1,1,SE)
					TOXIC(5,9,SW)